Canada is a beautiful country. Anyone who has been will tell you, even in most of the cities are stunning. However, sometimes the government fails to protect these areas. So, they sell it off to the highest bidder. This is fine if the highest bidder is a conservation company, but often developers and forestry companies have more money. However, in this case, the Canadians had something to say about it.
The Princess Louisa Inlet on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast is one of the most beautiful places in the world, let alone in Canada. Firstly, the inlet itself is a fjord, and the peaks are high alpine snowpack. This combination creates beautiful and unique waterfalls that cascade off the cliffs into the water below. It’s like nothing else in the world, but all that could soon change.
However, the government planned to sell 2,000 acres (800 hectares) of this beautiful area. Conservation companies simply couldn’t afford it, so it looked like it would go to a property developer or logging company. That would spell the end for the area’s natural beauty.
However, the non-profit organisation B.C. Parks Foundation set up a crowdfunding campaign to stop this from happening. And it wasn’t a few millionaires who donated, it was hundreds of thousands of ordinary Canadians donating $10-$15. They raised an incredible $3 million to buy the land, and the organisation wrote an emotional letter to thank the Canadians who helped.
“Dear Park Supporters,
“You did it! Your love for British Columbia and beautiful places like Princess Louisa Inlet has done something miraculous. In just a few short months, you have raised $3 million to protect a jewel in B.C’.s coast.
“We still have to finalize the sale with the vendor (now September 3rd), and there are more steps to come, but in donating the funds you have scaled a substantial peak on this amazing expedition.
“We know people want to keep B.C. beautiful, and we know our parks are the core of our identity. They are our cathedrals, our towers, our pyramids; the wonders of our world. But we couldn’t have predicted such a fabulous outpouring in such a short time from so many different people and places. We are in a state of awe and gratitude.
“We will keep you posted when the deal is finalized. Any funds that continue to come in will be put in our Parks Bank to protect more areas in Princess Louisa and British Columbia. “With our deepest appreciation and admiration,
“Ross Beaty, Board Chair
“Andy Day, CEO”
This is the first time that crowdfunding has ever funded something like this, and CEO Andy Day believes that good will come of this. “We’ll do our best to make sure that that area stays protected forever,” he said.
Let us know what you think about this inspirational campaign in the comments, and share with your family and friends.
Images courtesy of B.C. Parks Foundation.
